Carolina Mountain Blue Thoughts on politics, life and other things from a progressive North Carolinian in the heart of redstate country….

Talk about unpopular…in a recent Public Policy Polling poll, a sizable majority of Texas – including a good chunk of Republicans – apparently do not like current Gov. Rick Perry and would like him to take a Texas-sized leap into the nearest lake. According to PPP, only 31% of Texans polled believe the current governor should seek re-election next year as opposed to 62% who believe he should leave the statehouse next year.

It gets worse for the Texas Dunderhead…first: in terms of favorably, he’s also one of the more unpopular governors at present in the U.S., with a 41-54 favorability rating. Then there’s what could happen if he does run for re-election: he faces the prospect of a primary challenge. Yeah, that’s how unpopular the little —-kicker has gotten. Quoting PPP…

Only 41% of GOP primary voters want him to be their candidate again, compared to 47% who think it’s time for someone else. And in a head to head match up with Attorney General Greg Abbott, Perry leads by only a 41/38 margin. What makes those numbers particularly worrisome for Perry is that Abbott only has 59% name recognition at this point with primary voters. Among voters who are familiar with Abbott- whether they like him or not- he leads Perry 55/33. That suggests the potential for things to get worse for Perry if Abbott does indeed go forward with a bid.

What makes this interesting is that, last time I remembered, Greg Abbott was a member of the establishment wing of the GOP, not the Tea Party wing, which adds an extra sting to the above quote. After all, it’d be one thing if the Tri-Corn community was ticked at Rick Perry, but they’re not his biggest threat and that should scare Perry.

However, don’t get your hopes up if Perry were to lose to Abbott; according to PPP, if Abbott did become the Republican nominee, he would become the presumptive front-runner in November 2014 as he outpolls pretty much every Democrat of note they polled against him…

vs. 2010 Democratic candidate Bill White: 46-39

vs. San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro: 46-36

vs. Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis: 46-34

vs. Houston Mayor Annise Parker: 47-35

However, if Perry survived to be the nominee, it gets somewhat better for Democrats in the Lone Star State…

vs. White: White leads 47-44(a contrast of 10%)

vs. Castro: 47-42(a contrast of 5%)

vs. Davis: 47-41(a contrast of 6%)

vs. Parker: 47-40(a contrast of 5%)

For what it’s worth, this might turn out to be a race worth watching in 2014, if not for any other reason than to see whether the GOP engages in any circular firing squad activity in the primary campaign…